Avengers Theatre Presents: The Hunger Games
by Flocculent Aura
Summary: The twelve districts fight to the death on live television, Steve Rogers volunteers to take his younger friend's place for the latest match. Parody of the Hunger Games movie.
1. Getting Started

**"Getting Started"**

**A/N: **Saw_ the movie today and I got a load of inspiration to parody the series. HELL YEAH!_

* * *

A tween could be seen writhing beneath some bed sheets. His body was drenched in a cold sweat, and the slightest moan would escape his lips every now and then. The reason for his odd behavior was because the young kid, who we'll call Bucky, knew that it was about time that tributes were chosen for the annual Hunger Games.

Thankfully, he had one thing to calm him during these stressful times, and that person was his best friend Steve Rogers. See, the kid couldn't depend on his alcoholic mother. Because the woman had long forgotten about her family since the death of her husband.

So it was up to Steve to look after his friend, and every morning, he would stop by to drop off food and chat with little Bucky.

Well, this morning was no different. Steve poked his head into Bucky's room and found the kid crying in his sleep. Rushing over, he shook the boy awake. "James, wake up." He urged the child in his arms. Bucky snapped his eyes open and instantly hugged the brawny man. "Oh Steve, they called my name again." Steve patted the boy's head. "Don't worry, they won't choose you this year." The tween sniffled. "You can't be so sure. I have a feeling that it's my time."

Steve could only do what he knew best. "Uh, hush up little boy." He then pulled away from Bucky who laid back in his spot on the bed. "I think you should try to get some more sleep." Steve said. He moved to stand up when Bucky's hand shot out and grasped the older man's arm. "Please don't go without singing a little something."

Steve huffed loudly. "Okay, but first, I need you to close your eyes." Once the child complied, the man begun to serenade the boy. "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, better run, better run. Out run my gun." He kept on until he deemed that the child was ready to sleep without him.

He stood up and exited the bedroom. Out in the living room, he could see that Misses Barnes was passed out on the sofa. This made the super-soldier shake his head in disapproval. _Such a selfish woman. _The man thought as he wielded his shield.

Exiting the home, the Steve ventured through the run-down town. He could see the usual people marveling at his perfectly toned body. They normally asked how he was able to sustain such a physique, and the blonde would always give the same response. _I'm just this naturally fit._ Too bad the locals wouldn't accept that as a reasonable answer.

Soon the man found himself at the useless fencing that was supposed to keep the wild life from getting into the city, but in reality, it was to keep the people of district 12 from getting out. Steve made his way to an opening in the fence and tossed his shield through the slit. He then climbed through it himself.

On the other side, he was in the forbidden forest of doom. Why was he here? Well, he normally came out here to do a little hunting. And today was his lucky day, why? Because no sooner did he look up, he could see a deer in the clearing up ahead.

Steve raised his shield and tried to get as close to the animal as possible, and it seemed as if his plan was going smoothly. But when he stepped away from the tree, he saw the deer taking off. Lowering his shield, the man scooped up a pile of leaves and tossed it in the air. _Down wind. Shit…_ The man thought as he began his pursuit of the creature.

Surprisingly, a few steps and a scene transition later, the man had caught up with the deer. Taking his place behind a tree, the man had once again, prepared to throw his shield at the hoofed mammal. And just as he was about to let go, a boulder flew through the trees and struck the animal, which caused it to explode. Body parts and entrails rained for a second before everything settled. "Ah…wasn't that a glorious shot." Thor's voice boomed throughout the forest. Steve got sight of the man when he stepped from behind a nearby tree.

"Damn it, you ruined yet another prized kill." The super-soldier screamed. "Ah, don't worry about it. I'll make it up to you." Thor motioned his friend to follow him.

Soon, the pair were atop a hill. The larger man plopped on the ground and gestured for his friend to join him. "Dude, I am tremendously thrilled that the Hunger Games is taking place in a few weeks." Steve didn't share an ounce of excitement. "Well, I'm not." Looking out into the distance. "They could possibly take Bucky, and I would hate for that to happen."

Thor laid on his back. "You my friend have become such a softy." He continued. "While I embrace the event, you shy away." The blonde shifted to his stomach and looked at his friend. "You use to love the games just as much as I do." Steve shook his head. "Ah, you won't understand." Those words were the only thing that Steve could say.

"Anyways, I'm hoping that they select me for the event. It's no secret that they mentioned my name 54 times." Smiling with confidence. "The odds are, indeed, in my favor." Steve chuckled at his friend's declaration. "Let us hope that you achieve your dream. We wouldn't want another temper tantrum like last year."

The two laughed before settling down into silence. Not knowing how to bring back the conversation, Thor just sat back and observed the forest below while Steve thought of the impending reaping. _If they chose Bucky, how would he survive? _

Thor glanced at his friend and noticed the worried expression. "Steve, you remember that thing I promised you?" Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a smashed piece of salami. Steve's eyes brightened. "Holy crap, is this real?!" Snatching away the meat, he sniffed it before taking a bite. "Where'd you get this?" Thor sat there laughing. "One, it's real and two, I can't disclose that info."

Steve punched his arm. "Whatev—"The sound of an aircraft cut through Steve's reply. Thor immediately grabbed Steve and pulled him into the brush. And they watched as the flying machine flew over-head. "We should be getting back."


	2. The Selection

**"The Selection"**

* * *

With another well placed scene transition, the duo arrived back to town, and Steve said farewell to his blonde friend before parting ways. He headed straight for Bucky's house, and as always, he had to deal with the usual questions.

Upon arrival, Steve didn't bother to knock. He just entered, and called out to the tween. No longer than a second had passed before the boy popped his head out of his bedroom. "Steve!" He rushed out and hugged the older man. "Aw, look at you. You look like a grown man." He praised the kid. Bucky stood back and gave the man a thumbs up. "I know and the ladies love it."

Steve glanced around the living room and spotted the mother who seemed to be observing the scene before her. _She seems aware of the situation._ The man thought as he turned away from the woman. "Did you dress yourself?" Bucky shook his head proudly.

The super-soldier congratulated the boy. "Now that you're all dressed, I think it's time for you to go." Bucky grew silent. "Come on kiddo, I'll walk you to the event." Even with the reassurance, his words did nothing for the boy's nerves.

Steve could detect the fear radiating from the child. "Ah, come on. We have to go." Lifting his hand up, he waited for Bucky to take it. Surprisingly, the boy rebounded at the gesture. "Holding hands is for wimps and little girls." And in an attempt to psych himself, Bucky challenged Steve to a race. The older man accepted and the two were off.

The walk to the event was making Bucky sweat, and those moist spots began to form under his arms. So, being a good friend, Steve allowed his small companion to travel via the scene transition. And when the duo passed through, they immediately arrived at their destination. "Alright kiddo, it's time for you to go." Inhaling sharply, Bucky got into line.

Steve watched as his friend pass through the security checkpoint. _Well, this is the end of our friendship because that tween is sure to die…if he's chosen._ He thought. Turning around to head home, he ran into his larger friend, Thor. "Ah, you decided to attend the lottery?!" With excitement, Thor wrapped his burly arm around the super-soldier's neck and moved him toward the line.

"If we're lucky enough, we could be in the third to last line." Steve struggled to free himself from the asgardian's grip. "There is no way that we could pass for children." Thor scoffed. "Steve, did you not know that a large percentage of adults participate in the games?" The super-soldier gave the blonde a confused look. "How is that possible?"

Letting go of Steve, Thor stood ahead of the man. "All you have to do is state a suitable age. They don't actually look at your birth record." A bout of silence passed between the two as they advanced in line. Soon, they were next, and Thor was the first to have his blood taken. Steve watched the processed and then mimicked his friend's actions before following him inside.

From the checkpoint, the super-soldier was escorted down an aisle and deposited in the back of the male's section. Scanning the crowd, the man could not find Bucky throughout the sea of children, but he did spot Thor. The blonde had wedged himself in-between two boys to his left.

Up on stage, music signaled the entrance of district 12's representative, Maria Hill. She wore a cream colored dress with beaded accents around the bust. It was form fitting and reached mid-thigh. Now, her face was cover in the whitest, most shimmering foundation available. The lips were thin and painted with a mocha colored lipstick, and a thin, glittery swirl graced each cheek. Last but not least, her hair resembled a mouthwatering cinnamon roll.

"Hello children." Smiling hard, she waved to the crowd. "The time has come for yet another pair to represent their district. Let the odds be ever in your favor." From a nearby speaker, a voice commanded that the people applaud, which everyone in the crowd did. "Ooh, here comes my favorite part. Daily, could you bring out the glass bowl of despair?" Said guy appeared from behind a set of red curtains and presented the bowl.

Maria watched the crowd before tending to her task. "Ooh, should we deal with the men or the ladies? I'm thinking the boys will like this." Staring in the bowl, her eyes caught sight of a glowing piece of paper. Pulling it out, she ripped the tape and peered inside.

In the crowd, Steve sat in suspense. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Thor hugging the two boys by his side. They seemed to be uncomfortable with the asgardian's touch. _Poor kids. _Steve thought.

Eventually, the woman on stage had decided that milking the crowd for fear was getting old. So, she announced the first participant. "James Buchanan Barnes." With a smile and a pose, the woman waited for the child.

Somewhere in the fourth row, said tween shook in fear. "Damn, damn, damn." Maria searched the crowd for any movement. "James, where are you?" Not wanting to look like a sissy, the boy sucked it up and stepped away from the group of boys. "Ah, there you are."

Motioning for Bucky to come forward. "People, we have our first tribute of the day. Let the odds be ever in your favor." As the boy was being escorted to the stage, Bucky began to bawl. "No, no…I don't want to go."

Steve watched in horror. _Damn it, the kid was right!_ Pushing out of his row, Steve rushed to be by Bucky's side. Some security tried to stop the advancing man, but they were quickly dealt with. With a quickness, Steve arrived at Bucky's location and gave him a bear hug. "I need you to run, run home."

From the stage, Maria shouted. "Where do you think you're going with our tribute!?" Steve faced the raging clown. "I am saving him from certain death!" Turning away, the super-soldier guided the boy towards the exit. "You won't do a thing, SECURITY!" As soon as those words were spoken, the swat team descended on the pair. They apprehended the man and forced the tween towards Maria. "Wait!"

Looking between Bucky and Maria, the man made a snap decision. "I volunteer as tribute!" The woman paced the stage. "How old are you?" Steve quickly replied. "Uh, 18." Maria commanded that the security bring Steve to the base of the stage "You're looking a bit ancient for a young adult." She said while inspecting his face. "Ooh, but you're fitter than anyone I've seen."

Sighing loudly, "This isn't how I wanted this year's event to turn out, but people of district 12, we have a new tribute." Maria flicked her wrist, and the security escorted Steve onto the stage and placed him in front of the microphone. "State your name." The man took a deep breath. "Steve Rogers."

"You heard it here, Steve Rogers has taking the place of James Barnes." With this announcement, the crowd gave Steve the peace sign. They knew full well that the man would never make it back to town. "Alright, let's announce the final tribute." Once again, the woman fished around the glass bowl and found another glowing piece of paper. Looking at the name, "Virginia Pepper Pots." Maria looked over the scared faces.

Sighing in defeat, Pepper made her way to the stage. Once up there, she took her place next to Steve. "Well, that was interesting and I bet you would agree. Let the odds be ever in their favors." The woman stood by her tributes. "This concludes this year's lottery." Smiling broadly again, she led the two participates off stage.

Once off stage, the people in the crowd erupted with joy. They had successfully survived another year of reaping. But one person did not share their happiness. See, Thor had wanted to take part in this year's festivities, but they had over looked him yet again. The town's folk knew that the god had not partaken in the tournament since the 24th Hunger Game, and that he was growing impatient with every passing year. "Fucking mortals." Thor thought out loud.


	3. Travel from the Outskirts

**"Travel from the Outskirts"**

* * *

Some time had passed since they deposited Steve in a holding room. Several thoughts clogged his line of thinking. _Why would I sacrifice myself for Bucky! _Shutting his eyes in frustration, the man punched a hole into the nearest wall.

When he withdrew his fist, he could see into the other room. _Oh great, it's the one person I didn't want to see._ Steve thought as he watched Bucky and his mother walk towards the room. A few moments later and the pair entered the room.

"We only have three minutes, so you'll have to make this quick." The child's mother instructed. Keeping his eyes casted downwards, Bucky began with, "Dude, that was noble of you." Sniffing loudly, he faced his friend. "I didn't think you would actually help me." The super-soldier flashed a weak smile. "Aw, of course I would help. You're like the son I have yet to conceive." Little Bucky smiled. "So does that mean I can call you dad?" Steve shivered at the request. "Uh… I don't think that's such a good idea. I mean, I may die." The tween thought about what the man had said. "You're right. Well, I wish you good luck."

Bucky then hugged Steve with all of his strength. The super-soldier patted the child's head. "Margaret, this isn't playtime any more. I won't be here to protect Bucky, and you need to quit drinking. The boy needs parental guidance, and you must to give it." Turning to the child in his arms. "Thor will keep you fed and provide anything you need." Bucky nodded with full understanding.

Outside the room, the guard finished his beefy bean burrito. While tossing out the wrapper, the man checked the time, and realized that the family had over stayed their welcome. The guard wiped his hands on his pants and burst through the door. "Times up!" He grabbed for the hysterical child and dragged him out while the mother simply strolled out the room. Turning around, Margaret gave Steve a hateful look before shutting the door.

Anger erupted from the super-soldier, which caused him to strike the door in the exact spot where Margaret's head was. On the other side, the guard shouted in surprise. Backing away from the door, the man withdrew his weapon. He began to approach the door when a large blonde man appeared out of nowhere. "May I visit with my friend?" The guard shook his head and allowed the burly go to proceed.

Opening the door, Thor found Steve sitting by the window. "That was clever of you. I should have volunteered in young Bucky's place." Steve remained silent. "Ah, don't tell me that you're upset." Steve shook his head. "Aw, what happened? The bastard's mother said another rude comment?" The super-soldier ran his hands through his hair. "No, but I believe that she's going to treat Bucky like shit." The god hummed. "Well, I'll make sure that nothing ill-fated will befall your friend."

"Thank you." Steve thanked his friend. "You know, I could always take your place. I mean, I do have the experience in this competition." Steve considered the offer, but decided against it. "I think you should go on, the train will be arriving soon." The god agreed, although, leaving was something he didn't want to do. Bidding his friend farewell, Thor exited the room.

A few snaps and a spicy scene transition later, Steve was comfortably seated on a high speed train. To his left was some chick from his village and that snotty chick, Maria, sat across from him. "Ah, this is a wondrous bullet train." Pointing around the room, "We have the finest décor. Such as, diamond door knobs, gold nail clippers, and marble mattresses." The two participants shook their heads, but little interest was shown.

"I think you two should get comfortable because the ride is a very long one." With that, the woman strutted towards a door on the far side of the cabin. "Oh, I should tell your mentor that you're here." The two watched as she disappeared behind the automatic doors.

"Isn't this insane. You and I were chosen from a group of seventeen-hundred children." Pepper sounded skeptical, as she fidgeted in her seat. Steve flashed the woman a weak smile, before trying to make polite conversation: "Uh, I hope you mind don't me asking. How old are you?" The blonde man laughed nervously.

The redhead scrunched her nose up, as if debating whether she should answer or not. A moment later, she spoke. "Thirty-nine… I'll be forty this year; if I don't bite the dust during this competition." The super-soldier openly gawked at the female—he was completely dumbfounded. "Why would you _want_ to participate!?"

Standing up, the woman moved to the dessert table. She had an air of nonchalance about her. It worried Steve—the statement she uttered next worried him even more. Looking over her shoulder in a sultry, charming way, Pepper smiled, "I am a suicidal adult, and I would like to go out with a bang." She took a large bite from a caramel apple. "Hmm, you'd think that the rich individuals would eat better sweets than Walmart goodies."

Pepper's joke gave Steve a slight chuckle. He too stood up and made his way to the dessert cart. Standing by the ginger-haired woman, the super-soldier observed her out of the corner of his eye. Mm, she was tall, scrawny, pretty in the right lights—she was going to die. He had absolutely no hope for her. Especially, if the tributes of the other districts were anything like him and Thor. She would be killed in an instant! Steve smiled a little brighter; knowing that he wouldn't have to kill Pepper on his own. Grabbing a glass of champagne, Steve toasted to her. "Happy Hunger Games—may the odds be ever in our favor."

As the two of them sipped on their drinks, the automated door slid open and in came a man that made Pepper spray her champagne in Steve's face like a high-pressured water hose. Dark, tanned and handsome, was their mentor; Anthony Stark. Pepper dropped her glass and straightened out her clothes the best she could, before she began panting at Tony. "You don't look anything like I expected… you're way too good-looking to be in this line of work."

Tony raised his eyebrow at Pepper, before sauntering over to the woman and grabbing her boob. "It's nice to meet you, too." He said suavely, groping her aged-bosom in his calloused palm, as he reached behind Pepper and snagged an ice-cold bottle of Jack Daniels from the table. Pulling back from her, Tony brought the bottle to his lips and pulled the cork out with his teeth. Spitting it out, the man drank greedily from the bottle—all the while Pepper and Steve watched him.

Pepper was less impressed by Tony, after witnessing his open-display of alcoholism, but she was still attracted to him nonetheless. Steve, on the other hand, wore a deadpan expression; _'This guy was going to teach us how to survive? We're as good as dead.' _His thoughts proved to be just as morose as his countenance.

Tony noticed this. Burping, as he released the bottle from his lips, the man smiled. "Eh… lighten up, kid—this is your time to party it up, before you're put up on the chopping-block; like a sheep led to the slaughter!"

Steve scowled, "How am I supposed to lighten up, when you're saying stuff like that?" Tony shrugged, before pulling Pepper into a tight embrace; his arms locking around her thin waist as he brought her back to his chest. Resting his head on her shoulder, the genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist blew a few errant strands of auburn-hair out of his face, as he spoke. "I dunno… everyone handles this differently—I'm surprised you're actually talking to me," Hiccupping, Tony continued, "Drink, eat, sleep… get laid! Whatever, I don't care. Just be ready in the morning."

Steve looked flummoxed. "For what… wait—where are you going?" Tony and Pepper were stumbling towards the door. They stopped momentarily, so that the dark-haired man could answer the super-soldier's question. "To do exactly what I told you to do." Shaking his bottle of Jack, Tony started, "I've eaten already. After I finish this, I'll be hammered—or, at least, tipsy enough to throw this little lady's back out, and then afterwards, I'll sleep." He giggled giddily as he said that.

Pepper captured Tony's Jack Daniels, and prepared to chug it down, when the raven-haired man howled angrily and snatched it back. "Eh! That's mine, you silly-bitch!" Pepper was taken aback, as the bottle was seized violently from her grip. Steve looked ready to defend her. Tony rolled his eyes, "Relax everyone; it's not like you've got much self-worth between the two of you, to begin with. YOU volunteered as Tribute—" Tony pointed to Steve. "And YOU are way too old to be a part of the Hunger Games to begin with." He scowled at Pepper when she frowned at him. "Now how's about we put this behind us and go do the naked tango?" She shrugged.

Steve rubbernecked, as they both exited the room.


	4. Joy Ride to The Capital

**"Joy Ride to the Capital"**

* * *

After the two had left, Steve spent the remaining daylight in the kitchen area. It turned out that the chefs were nice people, and were eager to share stories about the previous tributes. Two of the cooks gave the super-soldier a heads up on what was to come, and the man was thankful for any helpful info.

Sometime around midnight, Steve wished the cooking staff a good night and walked to his room. On his way to bed, he could hear the moans of that suicidal tramp and that conceited drunkard loud and clear in the empty hallway. It made his skin crawl to know that the woman was whoring out before she meets her maker, and that the man she was boning probably slept with all his apprentices. Disregarding the ginger and her date, the man continued down the hall.

Upon arrival to his room, he noticed that his door knob glowed a faint greenish color. It didn't seem too out of place (knowing that the rest of the train was just as weird), so Steve carelessly reached for the knob. Twisting it, he pushed open the door and was instantly sucked in.

The man was thrown across the room and slammed against the wall. The impact had taken the super-soldier's breath away. Taking a couple of breathes to fill his lungs with air, the man finally let out a groan. Slowly, he moved his extremities to check if anything broke. Steve wiggled his fingers, toes, and shifted in his spot.

While he was doing, a ray of sunshine struck the super-soldier in the eyes. "Ooh!" He said as he covered his eyes. _How could it there be daylight?!_ The super-soldier thought.

Climbing to his feet, Steve stretched his aching body, and as he was doing this, he noticed that once the soreness diminished, his whole body felt rejuvenated and ready for another bout of activity.

Not wanting to be in his room, after having just actively participated in a scene-transition, Steve headed for the door. But before he opened it, his hands stopped above the knob. The man gave the brass grip an inspection, and only when he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, he felt confident enough to open the door.

What greeted him on the other side was the hallway. Peaking his head out first to make sure nothing was up, Steve cautiously stepped out and sighed in relief when nothing happened. With a spring in his step, he walked back to the dinning cabin. Just outside, he could hear Tony explaining to Pepper that the key to success was to be likeable, if she wanted to survive the Hunger Games.

The ginger head woman shook her head in mock interest. Giving their mentor a wink every so often. Eventually, his words meant little to her in terms of entertainment, so she turned the subject to something of a more graphic nature.

Back outside, Steve covered his ears. _Why was she still talking him like that? Didn't they sleep together, already? Aren't they passed the point of indecent flirtation?_ Shivering, he pressed the open button by the door and entered the room. He noticed that the chatting duo snapped their heads towards him and observed his every move.

Being the obnoxious fella, Tony was the first to crack a joke. "Look who decided to join us. I thought you might've gotten drunk last night." Steve flashed him an annoyed smile.

"I overheard you talking about survival. Do you have any tips for us?" The super-soldier said before sipping his orange juice. Tony examined the man across the table. _Hmm, tall, fit, frosted tips….I don't like em._ The brunette thought. "Ooh, sorry kid. My contract obligates me to mentor atleast one person, and that little lady is, well, the lady."

Returning to his breakfast, Tony smeared a clump of jelly on his toast, the playboy then proceeded to stuff the whole piece of bread down his throat. Steve looked away from the man. Uh, there was something grossly erotic about that view. _Note to self: stay away from Stark. _Steve thought.

As the super-soldier began to settle down, he noticed that something had moved out of the corner of his eye. When he turned to face it, he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary other than a misplaced chair. The man kept his eyes trained on the spot, hoping to catch the mysterious movement again. When suddenly, the sound of throat clearing filled the room. "Excuse me, but staring is terribly impolite."

Jumping back, the man looked around the room. "Did you guys hear that?" When he didn't get a response from Pepper nor Tony, Steve focused intently at the empty chair and found the silhouette of a woman. "Misses representative?" The super-soldier questioned.

"Of course! Do you not recognize me?" Steve shook his head. "It must be my new camouflage. Ooh, I just knew that it would work." With a satisfied smirk, Maria turned her attentions elsewhere.

Steve averted his eyes to his plate of food. Uh, nothing seemed the least bit appetizing. It was as if the man had lost his desire for food. Rising from his seat, Steve separated from the group and wandered the dinning cabin. From the window, he could make out their destination: The Capitol.

Staring out, the man marveled at the beauty of the richer quarter. It was nothing he had seen before. Buildings were well kept, the lands that surround The Capitol seemed much livelier than the ones that he grew accustomed to.

It was as if the city had enchanted the super-soldier, and the man couldn't shake its hold. In awe, Steve's eyes wandered the landscape, attempting to absorb a load of information when his view was suddenly blocked by rows of brick. The unexpected change in view startled the man. He jumped back and almost knocked a tray off the nearby table.

Apparently, the train had just entered a tunnel. It seemed like no longer than 30 seconds had passed before the high speed train emerged on the other side. What lie ahead was the train station, and a hoard of people were gathered by the platform, waiting for the tributes to appear.

Upon hearing the cheers, Pepper jumped to her feet and plastered herself to the window. Steve peered over to the woman, and saw that she was blowing kisses and waving to the crowd. _ Did she just wink to someone?_ The man thought, _she knows no bounds!_

While the tributes were preoccupied with the crowd, a hazmat team boarded the train and proceeded to the participant's location. The duo were not aware of the impending disinfecting that was about to take place, nor were they ready for their 'extraction'.

Storming the room, the hazmat team forced the two participants into a corner and injected the two with a sedative. Once they were out cold, the team transported the tributes to an undisclosed location.


	5. The Set Up For The Spotlight

**"The Set Up For The Spotlight"**

* * *

Sometime later, multiple teams of beauticians were hard at work, trying to beautify the less fortunate tributes. One particular group had the task of making Steve Rogers presentable to the public. The women and the lover boys were having a field day with the super-soldier.

Many of the beauticians found it hard to believe that Steve came from a poor district. His body was in peak condition. No one from D12 had enough to even put on excess weight, let alone muscle. Mmm, the man exuded masculinity, and a few of the staff members were often distracted by his sleeping beauty charms.

When it came to washing, the group put the task to voting. Whoever won the best of three in Roshambo, would have the honor of washing the super-soldier from head to toe. The remainder of the team was relegated to lesser tasks, such as: shaving, manicures and pedicures, and of course, waxing.

Of course, everything else went off without a hitch. Now waxing…that's another story because some lucky so-so had taken it upon herself to wax every body part that could possibly be exposed during the tournament. _Bad idea._

The beautician had just finished waxing Steve's arms and was just starting on the man's chest. She began by smearing a thin layer of wax on the super-solder's chest, then she proceeded to apply the strip of paper to the spot.

Pulling quickly, a large of patch of hair was removed. The beautician continued with the same strip of paper until it could no longer adhere. Turning away she searched for another box of paper, and while this was happening, Steve was slowly awakening.

In his groggy state, he could not register that someone was hovering above him, but he did feel the cool wax. Cracking his eyes open, he caught sight of the beautician as she was beginning to rip the paper away from his chest. "Aah!" Steve shouted loudly, as he jolted up from the table. The beautician that was tending to his chest quickly stepped away from the super-soldier.

The dazed man looked at the offending piece of paper in the beautician's hand. _They were waxing me?! _Steve thought as his hands raised to touch the tender skin. _Ouch…_ "Uh, sir. Could you please lay down?" The person said in a pseudo-polite voice. Knowing full well that he wasn't capable of fighting, Steve did as he was told and suffered through the rest of the wax session.

Once that was over, Steve was led into a locker room by a beautician who assured him that someone would soon be in to assist him. The man watched the person shut the door before inspecting the room. He noticed that the area was empty except for himself, and was debating if it was a good idea to leave when suddenly, someone burst into the room. What stood out about this person was that he wore a leather body-hugging jumpsuit with silver and green trimmings.

His hair was slicked back into a pony tail, which allowed people to better see the man's features. It also seemed as if the person's skin was unnaturally pale; almost translucent in appearance and that somewhat frightened the super-soldier.

While Steve was stuck in thought, Loki cleared his throat. "Fuckin' tribute, do you not have any manners?!" Loki waited for a response. _Is this man deaf or some shit? _Upset that his words didn't register the first time, the raven-haired man repeated the phrase but in a louder tone. This instantly caught the shorter man's attention.

Smirking, the taller man slinked over to Steve. Draping his arm over the super-soldier's left shoulder, causing the man to tense up. "I've had my eye on you ever since you entered the facility." Poking the man's chest, Loki led Steve out into the hallway and into a crowd of people. "See, tributes like yourself, have to dress as caricatures of your districts."

Moving past racks of clothes, the pair paused in front of a full length mirror. "I just don't see the fun in dressing you as a coal-miner." Loki's eyes roamed over the shorter man's abdominals. His mouth crooked into a smile. _Mmmhmm, I have so many plans for you. _Turning the soldier around, Loki made Steve face him. "What you need is some pizazz. Something that will make the crowd desire you and you're _partner._" That last word was said with so much venom that a nearby designer was coated in the toxic liquid.

"Good evening and welcome to the parade of tributes. I am your host, Nick Fury" The bald guy announced to the public. His co-anchor began to introduce herself when Fury cut her off and pointed out that the parade had begun.

Down below, the tributes from District 1 were the first to roll down the street. They had the theme of milk cartons and apparently, their district was the dairy capitol of the country. The crowd exploded with cheers.

The co-anchor, who we'll call Jane, was the first to speak. "Look at Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff. Sources say that they have the greatest chance of survival." Fury shook his head in agreement. "That's right because those two had formal training. It's as if they were solely trained for the Hunger Games."

The television hosts sat back and watched several teams trot down the street. Some participants wore rainbows, while others had on latex. It was truly a sight to see. Eventually, by the 4th chariot, the crowd had lost interest in tributes.

At the end of the street, Steve and Pepper stood in a garage with Loki by their side. "People will be amazed by your dazzling outfits." Loki said as he was brushing Pepper's hair away from her face. "Uh, we're dressed like you." Steve mentioned.

Turning to Steve, Loki gave him a strained smile. "I know that. Now get ready." The raven-haired man instructed the pair. He watched as the two climbed into their chariot. "You both look so dashing." Staring at them, he noticed that something was missing. "Ooh, you're not wearing your helmets!" Loki hurried away.

"And here comes District 11 and their theme of Direwolves. Look at Jon Snow and Theon Greyjoy; so fetching in their pelts and boots." Jane gushes, as she gripped the base of her microphone. The camera zoomed into her face, and she smiled sweetly. "Eh, this is my show, bitch…" Nick Fury says, scrunching his nose up, before he shoved the brunette out of her chair. She hit the ground with loud thud and a pained cry, but the studio-crew ignored it.

Fury straightened his coat out, before he spoke, "Look who we have here—the final district: District 12… Holy shit, look at their costumes!" The bald-man tried to sound interested; but his agitation was apparent in his voice, as he began describing what Steve and Pepper's outfits looked like to those without televisions. "—green lycra Capri-pants, black bedazzled boots, gold suspenders, a hardhat, and a construction worker's vest… that appears to be filled with water—I don't know what the fuck these two are wearing, but I don't think the crowd minds." Just as he said that, the hundreds of thousands of participants in the seats stood up and cheered for District 12's tributes.

Jane picked herself off the floor, and shoved a few tissues up her nose to slow down the blood flowing from the wound within it. "I think they look classy! Like… like… elegant Waste Management workers!"

Fury rolled his eye, before leaning away from his microphone: "They look stupid as hell. Whoever put their costume together should be punched in the face with barbed gloves and beaten until they died." Jane looked horrified, "Why would you say such a thing, Nick!" The man shrugged in response.

Steve and Pepper, meanwhile, where waving and smiling at the crowd; the latter soaking up the attention like a sponge. As they bathed under the limelight, Pepper entwined her fingers with Steve's. The man jumped, and tried to snatch his hand back, but the ginger-haired woman quickly explained her reasoning for holding onto him. "The crowd loves this!—loves us—c'mon, Tony said we had to be likeable." As she said this, she brought their hands into view of the cameras. The crowd went absolutely wild!—they even did the Mexican wave!—it was glorious!

Back at the village, the god was furious with what he saw, so much that his focus was taken away from cleaning. _I should be out there with that haggardly woman! _He thought while wiping down the counter. The toxic fumes from the cleaning products did not help with the situation.

Not wanting to add to the hulking man's sour mood, many of the patrons vacated the bar. One even shut the entrance to slow the beast if he were to become enraged.

As we return to the capital, we can see that all the tributes had gathered underneath a balcony. Who stood atop it was none other than the country's president, Bruce Banner. He gave a winning smile in the direction of a nearby camera before beginning with. "Isn't this just cute, a whole new crop of tributes at our disposal." Looking at each face below him, he continued. "I know you all were expecting an inspiring speech, but I have simply grown tired of repeating those same lines each year, so instead, I will say this."

"You're not the first to participate, and you sure ain't the last. Give us a show and may the odds be ever in your favor."

People stood in silence, waiting for president Banner to continue, but when he didn't and instead, he started clapping for the tributes below. The crowd instantly picked up on this and clapped along with their president.

Down below, a series of designers ushered the tributes into another building and began fitting them for their next task, interviewing. Of course, Steve and Pepper retained their designer and the man was busy trying to glue a sequined dress to the ginger's small frame. "Uh, must I glue the entire breast cup to your chest!?" Loki shrieked as stared into her empty top. "Can you like stuff my top?" The woman suggested.

The raven-haired man pondered the idea. "You may have a good idea." As that was happening, Steve stood off to the side, chatting with a group of children. "So, is it true that adults get into the game?" Several boys erupted with activity. "Dude, it's like a known fact that old farts are participating." Another boy joined in. "Yeah, I even tried to get my grams into this. Too bad she couldn't make it to the Reaping."

The older man inquired. "And why is that?" District 7's male tribute sniffled loudly. "Because she stroked out." Wiping the stray tear from his face. "Yo, I'll get catch you all later." With that, the kid moped away and the group settled into Silence. Steve cleared his voice and walked towards his own team.

"Damn it, I did well." The asgardian proudly announced to the room. In front of him stood Pepper with a new set of breast. Apparently, Loki had some magic leftover from his exile and he was able to alter the ginger-head woman's chest. Steve drank in Pepper's new look. _Those enhancements are…eye catching. _

The men marveled at the woman's new appearance when a bell sounded off. This meant that the introductions were beginning. Security flooded the backstage and began lining up participants in a single file. They shoved Loki out of the way, as they manhandled Theon Greyjoy into the spot the designer once stood. "Eh!" The man screeched in unison with prince of the Iron Isles, but, before the fashionable-man could criticize the rough-treatment of his dainty body, the sounds of Fury introducing the first tribute interrupted him.

Even backstage, everyone was made privy to the fact that Natasha Romanoff was the first to go up.

The red-haired woman – knowing that the first-impression was just as important as being able to fight in these games – swiped her hair out of her face and poised herself; before she stepped into the glare of publicity, and took her place at the only available chair. Fury eyed the woman across from him, as she settled into the posh, crimson-colored cushions of the settee. "Woohoo, look what we have here." Nick hooted appreciatively. The red-head smirked, as she sat back in her seat.

Remembering he was on-camera, Nick cleared his throat. Getting pseudo-serious, the bald man regarded his guest with concern in his deep voice: "Miss Romanoff, you're looking confident as hell – and, I will admit that that's fine as hell," leaning forward, Fury continued, "but, you do know that each tribute has a 10% chance of making it through the first day, right?"

Crossing her legs to expose her thighs – which, were barely covered in her gold and black, leopard-print cocktail dress – Natasha exuded sexiness. "I know that, Nick –" she smirked, her ruby red lips curving into a sultry arc. "—but, are you aware that you're looking at something special?" She faced the crowd and saw that they agreed with her.

Host Fury and his guest carried on the conversation for several minutes before he finally got around to excusing Tribute. Sending her backstage, the security supplied another participant to take her place. And this routine continued for the next 3 hours – and, it went pretty smoothly until Jon Snow was called up.

He regaled Nick in a many stories about his journey beyond the Wall and his allegiance with the Night's Watch. The audience was so entranced by the Stark-bastard that Nick let him go over his time. Unfortunately, the security didn't think that was cute, and so they came onto the stage, mid-tale, and made off with Jon; clubbing him and barking at him, as they pulled him back behind the thick curtains that shielded the backstage from the public-eye. Afterwards, everything calmed down, and it was about time for D12 to go up. And, even then, the super-soldier didn't have to worry because Pepper was called next.

The blonde sipped his drink and reclined on the sofa. It seemed as if the backstage lights were heating him; yet the air conditioner was on blast, so the continuous fluctuation in body temperature was causing the super-soldier to experience some unusual sensations. In an effort to get comfortable, the man curled up on the sofa. As he was doing this, a voice sounded backstage. "Steve Rogers" Snapping his head toward the sound, the man in question gulped, before straightening his tie and proceeding to the stage.


End file.
